Dec 30, 2003
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Ed McCants and Dylan Page each scored 21 points as Wisconsin-Milwaukee defeated Idaho State 85-70 in the consolation game of the Cable Car Classic on Tuesday night.
Joah Tucker added 20 points as the Panthers (6-4) won for the third time in five games.
Jeff Gardner scored a career high 24 points for Idaho State (3-9), which lost its seventh straight. Scott Henry added 16 points and Nate Rede had 13. Gardner and McCants were named to the Cable Car Classic all-tournament team.
The game featured a pair of former Stanford assistant coaches. Panthers coach Bruce Pearl served at Stanford under Dr. Tom Davis between 1982-86 and Idaho State coach Doug Oliver was with the Cardinal and current coach Mike Montgomery between 1986-98. Stanford is 15 miles north of Santa Clara.
The Bengals pulled within 58-51 with 12:43 remaining but Wisconsin-Milwaukee went on a 9-0 run over the next four minutes and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
The Panthers made 17 of their first 28 shots (61 percent) to take a 45-30 lead but Idaho State scored the final seven points of the first half to pull within 45-37 at halftime.
Santa Clara and Brigham Young played for the championship in a later game.